Legionellae account for about 2-8% of atypical community-acquired pneumonia cases. Legionellosis is caused predominantly (in about 70% of all cases) by Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (Sg1), although other serogroups (for example, Sg2, 4, and 6) and other species (such as L. bozemanii, L. longbeachae, L. dumoffii, L. feeleii, and L. micdadei) have been reported as disease causing agents.
Currently, culture is the standard for identification of Legionella in both clinical and environmental samples. Detection by culture is not an effective strategy for diagnosis or surveillance, as these agents require specific media and expertise, and thus culture identification can take weeks. Thus, there is a need for rapid, sensitive, high-throughput test for detection of Legionella to aid in diagnosis, routine surveillance, and identification of the source of an outbreak.